FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, June 4, 2025
Adirondack Council Commends New Appointments to Adirondack Park Agency Board
Senate Confirmation Expected
RAY BROOK, N.Y. – The Adirondack Council praised Governor Kathy Hochul’s nominations to the Adirondack Park Agency (APA) board, which include the appointment of an environmental attorney who would become the board’s first Latino member, and a nuclear physicist and former U.S. Congressman.
The New York State Senate is expected to confirm the appointments before the current legislative session ends.
Among the nominees is Jose Almanzar, an environmental attorney from Nassau County, who would serve as one of the three board members from outside the Adirondack Park. Also nominated is Rush Holt, a Clinton County resident and retired eight-term Congressman from New Jersey. Holt is a former assistant professor of solar physics at Swarthmore College and a former director of the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. He most recently served as CEO of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
“The Adirondack Council welcomes the addition of both legal and scientific expertise to the APA board,” said Raul J. Aguirre, Executive Director of the Adirondack Council. “We are especially pleased to see the agency welcome its first Latino board member and a nationally recognized scientist. Both bring a wealth of experience in environmental policy, science, and public service. We will be following the board’s work closely as it continues to guide long-term planning and resource protection across the Adirondack Park.”
The APA oversees land-use planning and zoning for both public and private lands within the 6-million-acre Adirondack Park — the largest park in the contiguous United States. Roughly half the park is public land, protected as “forever wild” under the New York State Constitution. Private lands include timberlands, farms, resorts, large estates, and about 130 rural communities, ranging from small hamlets to the Village of Saranac Lake, home to 5,000 year-round residents.
Aguirre also welcomed the reappointment of several dedicated board members whose terms had expired, including:
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Zoe Smith, scientist, Franklin County
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Benita Law-Diao, activist, outdoor recreation leader, Albany County
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Mark Hall, Town of Fine Supervisor, St. Lawrence County
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Dan Wilt, business owner and former Town Supervisor, Hamilton County
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Kenneth Lynch, retired attorney, Department of Environmental Conservation, Onondaga County
The length of each member’s new term will depend on how long ago their previous term expired, with some dating back to 2022.
Board member Art Lussi, a Democrat and resort owner from Essex County, is currently serving a term that expires June 30, 2025.
“As we welcome new leadership, we also extend our sincere gratitude to outgoing APA Chairman John Ernst of New York County for his nine years of steady, thoughtful service,” Aguirre added. “His calm and considerate leadership helped the board navigate many important issues.”
The APA board is composed of 11 members. Three are ex officio delegates representing the Secretary of State, the Commissioner of Environmental Conservation, and the Director of Economic Development. Of the eight citizen members, five must reside within the Adirondack Park’s 12 counties, and three must reside outside the Park. No more than five members of any one political party may serve simultaneously, and no single county may have more than one resident representative.
Founded in 1975, the Adirondack Council is a privately funded, not-for-profit organization committed to protecting the ecological integrity and wild character of the Adirondack Park. The Park contains one of the largest intact temperate forests in the world and is home to approximately 130,000 New Yorkers.
The Council advances its mission through research, education, advocacy, and legal action. It envisions an Adirondack Park with clean air and water, core wilderness areas, working farms and forests, and inclusive, thriving communities.
For more information: John Sheehan, Director of Communications, 518-441-1340